Secret Cellar Farm

We are looking for up to 2 acres to start a small storage crop farm and potentially raise some laying hens or sheep.

Farming experience

3-5 years experience

Currently farming

No

Highest level of farming experience

Worked on a farm

Description of farming experience

Maggie: For the last 3 years I have managed the shipping department for Vermont Compost Company and working part time on vegetable farms in the summer. Prior to that I have worked on farms in New Mexico and held many landscaping and forestry positions with a focus on sustainable land management.

KT: I have been farming for 5 years on small scale vegetable operations, ranging from 1 to 12 acres involved in all aspects of production. I also participated in a farmer training apprenticeship through Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming last year.

Farming plans

Tenure arrangement desired

Lease

Tenure arrangement description

We are most interested in short-term stewardship, with the potential of up to a 5 year lease. We intend to farm the land part time as a possible secondary source of income to start. Ideally we would have complete control of decision making and farming practices. As a business, we would have minimal capital to start.

Planned farm enterprise: Primary

Vegetables

Planned farm enterprises: Others

Livestock

Farm enterprises description

Both wanting to find an avenue to farm while not adding to the already competitive market, we spent a good bit of time discussing what the community needs and what we feel we have the capacity to achieve. Storage crops seem like a good way to fill in the gaps in winter veg production as well as require minimal oversight throughout the growing season as we both tend to our full time jobs in order to make farming viable. We hope to grow roots, squash, garlic and onions and corn for flour. There is storage space at the Center for Ag Economy available to rent where we plan to store. If the space allows we would also like to raise laying hens for added income.

Written business plan

In progress

Business planning description

The vision is a small market garden aimed to bolster our local year round food sovereignty. We hope to sell wholesale to local co-ops and restaurants, potentially starting a small winter CSA if the yields allow and it seems like there is interest. We aim to prioritize quality, and farm ecologically with minimal tillage and inputs.

Farmer housing needed

Yes

Water source needed

Yes

Farm infrastructure needed

Greenhouses/high tunnels

Description of infrastructure needed

A small greenhouse for seed propagation would be ideal.

Farmer housing for KT ideal but not necessary.

Access to equipment needed

No

Additional information

We aim to plan ahead. Through observation and hard work, the future can be bright. The hope is to spend our energy growing food for our community through the hardest part of the year. our desire is to support the living soil through cover cropping, green manures, quality compost and consistent root production.